The Field of Sport
Fitzsimmons in Fine Trim for the Coming Battle.
Opinion of the Two Pugilists.
Dempsey's Reputation in Australia Greater Than One Would Believe—Events on Eastern Racecourses
This was followed by three-fourths of a column of telegraphic sports news, dealing with pugilism and horse-racing. The racing is represented only by summarized results.
On the occasion of the Dempsey-Fitzsimmons fight in New Orleans, the Oregonian, on January 15, 1891, carried a full column by telegraph from the scene of the fight and followed it up with a half-column of comment of Portland fight fans and friends of Dempsey. The policy of naming no names, however, continued, and there was, as usual, a good bit of editorial comment by the writer.
When Dempsey arrived in Portland after his defeat by Fitzsimmons he was interviewed by reporters. The Oregonian carried a half column on his return, as the leading item in a sport-gossip column. The writing was still wooden, and the fighter's 150-word statement was handled as formally as if he had been a congressman, for in stance. He was quoted in flat phrases as saying he had no complaint about his defeat, no fault to find with Fitzsimmons, and the writer noted that the Nonpareil appeared to be in good health. (Feb. 10, 1891).
On the other hand, there is noted in the same issue, an interview with N. J. Morgan dealing with his visit to sport celebrities in San Francisco. This was a little livelier but still rather stilted as com pared with later work. The writers were feeling their way in a relatively new field.
The Oregon public, apparently, was not yet quite geared up to the rougher type of sports, as is indicated by this item from the Ore gonian January 21, 1891:
Athletic Sports.—All arrangements have been made by G Company, O. N. G., for an athletic meeting on the evening of February 18, which will be held at the Regimental armory. A very enjoyable and exciting time is expected. The games will consist of running, jumping, hurdle racing; also, one of the principal events of the evening will be a "tug-of-war" contest between picked teams from the regiment. One notable feature of the evening will be the absence of boxing and all other rough games, and the fairer sex will no doubt
